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IronDuke_slith -> RE: The Best USMC Hollywood Movies (11/27/2004 6:50:41 PM)
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I think the problem with the Pacific theatre is always going to be (in terms of ground combat) that it was a place where normal rules didn't always count. I think it'd be hard to potray accurately without giving today's theatre going public a little more than they bargained for.
Spielberg hinted at this aspect of WWII in SPR when he had the two GIs execute the two surrendering German soldiers on Omaha. The Pacific was another world, matched only by the russian front.
I remember a couple of good documentary series two or three years back. One was called horror in the east, the other Hell in the pacific. Although they took several themes about the war, one was the pretty unparalleled savagery. Japanese savagery is rather gruesomely documented, and they had an episode on the fate of prisoners and those in the occupied territories. Another, though, centred on the fighting and interviewed several marines and sailors.
What was clear was that they essentially considered the Japanese sub-human and frequently acted accordingly. So, there was one sailor who related visiting the bowels of his ship which had been hit by a Kamikaze. He found the pilots leg, and it ended up being boilded and turned into necklaces for the ship's crew.
Another Guy (a Marine as I remember) remembered being bawled out by his officer for capturing two Japanese soldiers and ruining (as the Officer put it) his unit's record of never taking a Jap alive. The Officer ordered his Sergeant to take the prisoners to Battalion HQ, a fifteen minute walk away. He ordered the Sergeant back in five minutes, which he duly was, the prisoners were shot.
Another guy recalled sitting eating rations atop a cliff on one of the islands idly watching Japanese Civilians throw themselves off as they'ed been poisoned by their own army's proganda into thinking they'ed be mistreated.
Wars aren't attractive, but some are less attractive than others. In some ways, it makes the men's experiences even more important to tell, but if you want complete realism, over an extended period of time, particularly towards the end of the war, you're going to get an awful lot that we in our sanitised, safe and gentler world would find disturbing. The media and public reaction to certain events in Iraq, where a Marine is alleged (on camera) to have shot a wounded man bare this point out. I'm eagerly awaiting the mini series, Band of Brothers was terrific, but lets be careful about what we ask for.
Regards,
IronDuke
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